Early in the morning, Mo Yan came to Wuliji, a small town on the edge of the Han River.

After saying goodbye to Uncle Wen last night, I walked to the farmer's house in the nearest village, and asked for the direction of Wuliji all the way.

It turned out that the white-faced scholar who was killed by Mr. Mu was actually the twin brother of Uncle Wen, and it seemed that he was likely to go to Shuzhong Ba County to find Mr. Mu.

There are already boats loading goods on the riverside wharf, street vendors selling hot dry noodles and fried thin knives are lighting a fire to cut noodles, and a large pot is supported in front of a shop, and the unique sour aroma of sour noodles wafts in the wind, causing Mo Zhi to swallow his saliva, but unfortunately there is no silver in the baggage, otherwise he will definitely eat a few bowls.

While inquiring, I came to the door of the Huimin Inn.

When the guy knocked on the door, Xia Bashan was surprised and delighted when he saw that it was Mo Yan standing in front of him.

"How did you get out? Did they let you out? What's going on?" Mr. Xia asked one after another.

Mo smiled bitterly: "Mr. Xia, this time I really escaped from prison." ”

After listening to Mo Yan's account of last night's experience, Xia Bashan nodded and said: "Soon Xiangyang Mansion will also issue a sea fishing notice to arrest you, this place is only a few miles away from Xiangyang City, it is not suitable to stay for a long time, and Yunnan can't go back, let's leave Hubei first." ”

"Where can I go?" Mo asked.

"In this way, first go south to Jingzhou along the Han River, and then cross the river into Hunan to Wuling Mountain, where Miao Jiang has never bought the account of the government, which is relatively much safer. Shabashan said.

"Oh well. ”

The two hurriedly packed their bags, ate a few bowls of sour noodles on the street, and then went to the dock to take a small boat, went down the Hanshui River, and went straight to Xiangxi via Jingzhou.

A few days later, at dusk, two dusty Han people came to a small inn in Guzhangping, Yongshun Mansion, Xiangxi, and Xia Bashan and Mo Yan finally came to Wuling Mountain.

Miao Jiang has been governed by the local Tusi since ancient times, and it was not until the fifth year of Yongzheng that Xiangxi "changed the land and returned to the stream", and the imperial court sent officials here, and then the Han people gradually increased, mainly operating some inns and shops and other small businesses.

The shopkeeper of this inn is called Wang Laocang, who moved from the Han land more than ten years ago, and he is particularly enthusiastic when he sees two Han people coming at this moment.

Xia Bashan seems to be no stranger to this place, and without waiting for the introduction of the shopkeeper Wang, he opened his mouth and ordered Miaojiang's famous sour soup fish, lemongrass grilled fish and Guzhang rice wine.

"This gentleman should have been to Miaojiang before and knows our specialties here. Shopkeeper Wang asked.

Shabashan nodded, but didn't say anything.

After the wine and food were served, Mo Yanda had an appetite, especially the sour fish soup, which was sour and spicy, and the carp roasted with lemongrass, which reminded him of his home Dali and evoked homesickness.

A bowl of rice wine in Xiaba Mountain was immediately full of praise, and Mo Yan must be allowed to drink a few sips, and said: "Xiangxi has high mountains and dense forests since ancient times, not only tigers and wolves are rampant, but also many miasma, Miao people must drink first when they go out, which is both courageous and detoxifying, so it is necessary to drink when you come to Miaojiang." ”

Mo Yan tasted it, and it was really sweet and sour, so he accompanied Xia Bashan to drink.

"Shopkeeper Wang, the old man wants to ask you about someone. Mr. Xia's face was slightly drunk, and he beckoned the shopkeeper to come to his side.

"Guest officer, please say that there is no one I don't know in Guzhangping. Shopkeeper Wang said confidently.

"You know Nioh. ”

Hearing this, Shopkeeper Wang's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly asked in a low voice, "Guest officer, what are you asking her to do?"

"It's just an old acquaintance. Shabashan replied lightly.

"Oh, that's the case, Ni Oh now lives in Heiwuliao, never goes down the mountain to the dam, ordinary people only hear her name but don't see her, Shanmin is seriously ill or in the Gu to find her, it is said that Ni Oh's surname is not very good, and the general Miao people are afraid of her. The shopkeeper looked at Xia Bashan and said cautiously.

"It turns out that she is still in the Black Witch House. Shaba was thoughtful.

When the shopkeeper returned to the counter, he did not come out again without calling him.

"Mr. Xia, it seems that people here don't like this nun very much. Mo Yan said.

Xia Bashan drank a bowl of rice wine, wiped his mouth and said: "Miao vulgar worship ghosts, women who deal with ghosts all day long, of course, people are both respectful and afraid. Alas, it's just that Xia was young and vigorous that year, and the past is unbearable, so don't mention it. ”

That night, Xia Bashan drank two or three jars of rice wine, and finally got drunk, Mo Yan helped him upstairs to rest, and continued to meditate and practice in bed after washing himself.

When reading the classics in the library of the True Martial Arts Temple, the book said that after the big and small Zhou Tian were opened, the true qi in the body traveled through the meridians and circulated, but he didn't feel the slightest breath at all.

I can't feel the existence of the breath, how should I continue to cultivate in the future? Mo Yan couldn't figure it out after thinking about it for a long time, his head was dizzy, it seems that he drank a little too much tonight, so let's sleep if I don't want to. While he was lying down, he pushed his hand with his mind, and the oil lamp on the table of the Eight Immortals in the middle of the room was extinguished, but at this time he had turned around and fell asleep and did not see it.

The next morning, after breakfast, he packed up, and Xia Bashan was still dressed in a square dress. The weather was cold, Mo Yan took out Pikan shoulder cover from his baggage and put it on his body, and the two walked out of the inn after greeting Shopkeeper Wang.

"We're going to see Neoh. Shabashan said.

Coming out of Guzhangping Dam is a rugged mountain road, the two of them climb along the trail with difficulty, along the way the peaks are steep, the thorns are dense and the grass is deep, and from time to time there are snakes and scorpions infested in the meantime. Until dusk, Mo has traveled more than 20 miles, and finally came to the foot of a high mountain, the cold mountain wind blowing, making people feel a little chill.

But see this mountain rock peak is dangerous, the strange stone is craggy, there is a wide crack in the cliff stone wall of the mountainside, the bottom is connected with a hundred zhang deep valley, there are horizontal stones connecting at the gap, just like a natural stone beam.

"That's the Black Witch Room, alas, the mountains and rivers are still there, but they are all gone. Xia Bashan looked at the familiar scenery of the mountains and rivers, and couldn't help but sigh.

Mo Yan saw that his eyes seemed to be moist, so he asked curiously, "Mr. Xia, have you been here before?"

Xia Bashan nodded: "That was still when I was young, and it has been more than thirty years. If we hide here, the government will never be found. ”

Mo Yan stared at the distant sky and did not answer.

When you come to the mountainside and stand on top of the stone beam, you can look down at the unfathomable, cloudy and windy, and make people shudder. Walking through the cross rocks, turning a cliff wall, there is a small col in front of you, several thatched huts, a small medicine garden surrounded by a bamboo fence, and there is cooking smoke rising up.

Shabashan stopped and shouted, "Ni Oh girl, the old man is visiting, please see me." ”

After a long time, I heard an old woman in the hut say, "What are you doing when you come back?" The voice was full of desolation and sorrow, with a hint of resentment.

Listening to the voice, it should be a mother-in-law, how does Mr. Xia call the other girl, Mo is puzzled.

Xia Bashan took two steps forward and said: "Girl, it was all Xia's fault back then, and you shouldn't have sneaked away, now that you and I are old, let the past pass." ”

"Go away, don't let this girl see you again, or I'll kill you." The voice sounded vicious.

Xia Bashan's expression relaxed when he heard this, and a smile appeared on his face: "Since Xia has come all the way to Miaojiang, if you want to kill it, you can kill it, and the corpse will also be accompanied by the Black Witch Liao for a long time." Over the years, Xia has never married a wife, and now that I think about it, I just can't let go of the girl in my heart. ”

Mo Yan looked at Xia Bashan in surprise, such a meaty word actually came from his mouth.

"Who have deceived you with your rhetoric?" said the woman.

Xia Bashan breathed a sigh of relief, and took a few steps forward, and was almost at the door of the thatched hut, only to see him swear and say: "Xia swears to the sky that he will never leave the girl in this life, and the girl will not be allowed to leave Xia." ”

A sigh came from inside the house: "Do you have a request for this girl, who is the child outside?"

"His name is Mo Yan, Xia's apprentice, and he has something to ask for. Shabashan hurriedly said.

"Come in. The woman said quietly.

Mo Yan followed into the thatched hut, the room was full of large and small altars and jars, the air was filled with a strong smell of herbs, and on the wooden wheelchair next to the fire pit sat an old mother-in-law, with an extremely ugly face, a bulging forehead, and a wrinkled face, only the eyes were bright, and the pupils were more than half larger than ordinary people, and exuded a faint black light.

"Girl, what's wrong with you?" Shabashan's gaze fell on Ni'o's paralyzed legs.

"Are you blind, Shabashan, seeing this girl like this, do you regret what you just said?" said Ni Oh with a disdainful look at the corner of his mouth.

Xia Bashan shook his head gently, and tears seemed to flash in his eyes: "The girl is wrong, although Xia Bashan made mistakes when she was young, but now she is over the age of six, how many years can she live? ”

Ni Oh was not moved at all when he heard this confession, and still said coldly: "This girl has sworn a poisonous oath thirty years ago, and she will never treat the Han people in the Central Plains again, and this child is the same. ”

"He's not here to heal. ”

"Why didn't you come all the way to Miaojiang for treatment?"

"Mo Yan was wanted by the government all over the sea fishing documents, and there was really nowhere to escape. ”

Ni Oh Hehe sneered twice, revealing a few yellow-brown teeth in his mouth: "You better go, the Han people are cunning and fickle, this child is the same, this girl will not help him." ”

"I am not Han, I am from the Bai nationality in Dali, Yunnan. Mo Yan said.

Ni Oh looked at Mo Yan carefully: "You are not Han, well, since it is the Central Plains Han government that wants to arrest you, this girl can consider letting you hide for a while, go to the thatched hut next to it, the room must be cleaned by yourself, and you are not allowed to come to this girl's room usually, you know?"

"Got it, mother-in-law. ”

"Don't call mother-in-law, only call girl in the future. Nioh snapped.

"Yes, girl, I'll clean up. Mo Yan found a broom and went to the thatched hut opposite, thinking to himself that this old woman was really weird, and it was weird everywhere.

"Girl, Xia left Heiwuliao in private, and there was a last resort, when he was young and vigorous, he wanted to make a career in the rivers and lakes, as the saying goes, 'A man is not a good look, then a good doctor', I don't want to succumb to this mountain for a lifetime. After so many years, looking back on how naïve it was then, it is better to stay in this mountain for the rest of your life, spend your life with the person you love, just dress in coarse clothes and light food, and no longer worry about the pursuit of the enemy. Shabashan said abruptly.

"You're being hunted down by the enemy?" Nioh looked at him lightly.

"Don't hide it from the girl, Xia began to be hunted down by the enemy ten years ago" Xia Bashan began to talk about how he was chased and killed by the Wushan Gang when he was far away from the opening of a medical house in western Yunnan and accepted Mo Remnant as an apprentice, and later how to treat the young gang master was framed again and imprisoned in the dungeon, and escaped from Badong a year ago, Mo Remnant went to Jiugongshan Taoist Temple to learn art and was arrested by the government and escaped from prison, and then came to Xiangxi Miaojiang The experience is described in detail.

Ni Oh listened for a long time and was silent, and finally silently turned around the wheelchair and stopped talking, but he did not drive Xia Bashan out of the Black Witch Liao.

In the evening, Xia Bashan and the two of them ate some dry food that they brought with them, and lay down on the bed in the thatched hut next to them early. Xia Bashan saw many doubts in Mo Yan's eyes, so he told a story about his youth.

;